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AME MX at Indian Dunes

This 100 rider was going so fast that it blew his face shied up, but that didn't stop him as he continued on. Hatounian photo.

AME
at
Indian Dunes
Friday April 4, 1975
By: ChrisHatounian

What looks like the old Don Hansen style, has finally made it's way back into the racing scene. Hansen, as you might recall, mjured his ankle when he was just beginning to show some super impressive racing style a while back and the injury left him a spectator for too long. Don, mounted tonight on a very smooth running Revell Two-Stroke Maico, showed his old dominating style. What was impressive was the fact that he beat out his closest competitor in night racing, Willy Harper, who is all but unbeatable most of the night racing time.

Tom Ryan rockets off a jump while going for the cash in the 125 Expert class at Indian Dunes. It was a tough class, so he only got third overall. Hatounian photo.

These two-250 Pros seem to be unbeatable around this track and it would be interesting to see some really hot Pro talent come out and see if they have the nerve to follow these two around the fast International course. They would leave with less than dominating dreams, I would assure you.

Tom Zahnter brought his Elsinore out to Indian Dunes to do some heavy duty racing in the 125 Expert class. He was quick, but could only cop second overall. Hatounian photo.

Willy Harper and his Revell CZ pretty much took care of the first 250 Pro moto with Hansen bringing up a close second, all the way through. It looked like it was going to be one of those carbon copy night races, at least in this class. But how wrong I was. Hansen took an immediate lead of the second moto and was out to beat his nemice, Harper. Willy tried hard but just couldn't get by the flying Hansen. Don's win assured him of an overall win, something he hasn't had much of a taste of in quite a while. Almost forgot about the rest of the pack and the fact that Steve Rossan, mounted on a Bultaco, took an impressive third overall with a equally impressive 3-3 score.

New AME number one 500 Pro rider, Thomas Claire, made one of his rare and successful appearences to the night races, and completely stormed his competition for the 500 Pro win, aboard a sano running NBR tuned CZ.

Donny Hansen got into some pretty wild positions last Friday night as he rode in for the win at AME's night racing action at Indian Dunes. Hatounian photo.

There wasn't much question about who would win the overall tonight after Claire took apart the first moto, beating out the likes of such riders as Randy Stubbs (Bui), Chris Bartlett (Pen) and fast Greg Oesch on a rocket Revell Maico. Claire again ran away with the second moto but sure as hell had a force to contend with as Stubbs first sliced through traffic and then put on some heavy pressure for the lead, which he obviously never got. Stubbs was still awarded second overall with his 3-2 score as Bartlett garnered third for the night.

George Viens made his return to night/acing on his Revell's Honda. He has been off for some time, but he hasn't slowed down one bit. Hatounian photo.

He's awful fast for a new Expert. I'm talking about Andy Jannings, who took the 125 Pro class by storm tonight, beating out the likes of Tom Zahnter (Hon), Tom Ryan (YZ) and a host of others. Jannings put together a consistent 1-2 score for the overall while Zahnter could only produce a third in the first moto and follow it up with a second moto sweep that gave him second or the night. Ryan took third on a wailin’ YZ.

The 500 Expert class rockets out of the first turn and heads down the straight at Indian Dunes during AME night action. Tom Claire was the eventual winner on his NBR CZ. Hatounian photo.

Putting on one of his best ever performances in the 125 Intermediate class was outrageously fast George Viens (Revell Honda) who undoubtedly earned his overall win after some heavy racing with Honda-mounted John Casper and Steve's Bultaco mounted Mark Hendrix. Casper couldn't match the speed of Viens and had to settle for second for the night while Hendrix took third.

Lance Sloane ran away from all competition on his Sport Time Yamaha for the overall mini class win over NBR rider, Mike Nance and Honda-mounted Ricky Ryan.

So. Calif. Motocross Newspaper was published every Wednesday in Studio City, Calif. 91604